PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – They might be biased, but they also know the man and the talent better than anyone. One is a Hall of Famer and they all believe Dave Parker deserves to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Let’s put it this way, a former teammate of Parker and one of baseball’s all-time greats, says Parker is a bit better.
“My idol was Willie Mays,” said 16-year MLB shortstop Tim Foli. “I played with him and I played against him and Parker was that type of player to me and he had a better arm than Willie Mays. He could do everything else with him. He should be in the Hall of Fame.”
How many players could claim these numbers
· 1272 runs
· 2712 hits
· 526 doubles
· 75 triples
· 339 home runs
· 1493 RBI
· 154 stolen bases
· .290 career average (two-time batting champ), .339 career on-base, .810 career OPS
· 143 outfield assists
· 1978 MVP, five times top five in MVP voting
· 3 Gold Gloves
· 3 Silver Sluggers
· 1985 Home Run Derby champ
· 1979 All-Star Game MVP
“There was nothing he couldn’t do,” Foli said. “He could hit for power. He could hit for average. He was a great defensive player. He had a tremendous arm, as good as anybody and he could run. They always talk about five-tool players, well that was him.”
“He should definitely be, he’s a Hall of Famer,” said former Pirates infielder and son of Yogi, Dale Berra. “He was the best player in the National League for a significant amount of time. When you are regarded as the best player in your league for multiple years, I think it’s worthy of being in the Hall of Fame. He continued it for a long period of time.”
“He could run,” said former Pirates pitcher Don Robinson. “He could hit. He could throw. He could do everything. I got to watch him every day. He never took time off, he played hard every day.”
“I know my first big league season in 1978, he put on a show in September that I will never forget and no one else will ever do it. He was hitting .297 going into September and ended up hitting .339 and that was with 400-500 at bats. He was just a great player.”
“There is no excuse why he should not be elected to the Hall of Fame,” said --- year MLB outfielder Mike Easler. “Let me tell you something, there was a stretch there where he was one of the best athletes, best players to ever play baseball.”
Easler said he would remember going into the training room before a game and would question how Parker would even play. He said Parker would have knee and elbow injuries and groin pulls and still play in the game. He called him a complete warrior.
Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven noted the stats, saying who has numbers like that? He said to not overlook the defensive numbers calling him ‘a great right fielder’. Blyleven said Parker was one of the leaders in the room, as Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown put it, Willie Stargell was the captain and Parker was the big brother.
“Dave Parker should be in the Hall of Fame,” Blyleven said.
When will others realize?